Gulsah Surel Erdem-Sacred Bowl Ring

At Design Interviews

(Excerpt) Interview with Gulsah Surel Erdem : Frank Scott: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : Praying on water, charging it with goodwill is a strong faith present in almost all cultures. I wanted to provide that the wearer feels the good energy by transforming an object connected to this faith into a jewel. .Frank Scott: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : The focus of my design was to transform the drinking bowl of the Ottoman culture that was used to drink water to find healing, into a special jewel while staying true to its original form. .Frank Scott: What are your future plans for this award winning design?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : I would love to this personally special design be exhibited in Modern Art museums such as the Moma or Tate Modern; and marketed in sales points where people who value design can acquire it. .Frank Scott: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : The period between me encountering the object that inspired this design at the Topkapi Palace and the launch of the ring is exactly 14 months. .Frank Scott: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : This was not a subject I particularly chose; I actually did not even have a plan for a new collection. I was very affected while touring the museum with my son; the inspiration came and this new collection was born. .Frank Scott: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : This collection was entirely hand-produced for House of DIV by the valuable jewelry masters in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. At the moment, it is being sold at the stores of the oldest fashion brand of Turkey, Vakko. Our aim is to present it to art, history and jewelry lovers in different locations around the world. .Frank Scott: What made you design this particular type of work?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : It is my way of designing pieces that have a source of inspiration and live within a story and this also is what sets House of DIV apart. .Frank Scott: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : Objects that have no known designers but have completed their design process years ago and entered our lives and the perfect design of the universe reverberate themselves in my work. .Frank Scott: Who is the target customer for his design?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : Women with an age of 25 to 55, who are aware of design, who are chic and timeless and special, looking for a ¨Something special¨. Women pride herself on her accessories, especially when they are noticed by others, who loves silence luxury. .Frank Scott: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : Apart of the design philosophy, the most outstanding feature is that it is ergonomic and the flawless, excellent workmanship. .Frank Scott: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : The bowl that inspired the design is named the healing bowl in the Ottoman Culture. With the sacred prayers and symbols engraved onto it, it is believed that it gives healing to the person who drinks water from. For this reason the ring is named the Charmed Bowl. .Frank Scott: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : Sketching paper, pencils and moldings what all I need. .Frank Scott: What is the most unique aspect of your design?. Gulsah Surel Erdem : Its most striking feature is that it turned into a jewel without losing its original functionality. If you wish to do so, you still might drink a sip of water from it. .Frank Scott: Who did you.[ End of Excerpt: Read complete interview with Gulsah Surel Erdem on Sacred Bowl Ring at design-interviews.com ]